The second presidential debate: "ELIZABETH LONG: Senator Kerry, thousands of people have already been cured or treated by the use of adult stem cells or umbilical cord stem cells. However, no one has been cured by using embryonic stem cells.

"Wouldn't it be wise to use stem cells obtained without the destruction of an embryo?

"KERRY: You know, Elizabeth, I really respect your— the feeling that's in your question. I understand it. I know the morality that's prompting that question, and I respect it enormously.

"But like Nancy Reagan, and so many other people— you know, I was at a forum with Michael J. Fox the other day in New Hampshire, who's suffering from Parkinson's, and he wants us to do stem cell, embryonic stem cell.

"And this fellow stood up, and he was quivering. His whole body was shaking from the nerve disease, the muscular disease that he had.

"And he said to me and to the whole hall, he said, 'You know, don't take away my hope, because my hope is what keeps me going.'"

1 Thessalonians 2: "What is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?"

John Kerry: "Chris Reeve is a friend of mine. Chris Reeve exercises every single day to keep those muscles alive for the day when he believes he can walk again, and I want him to walk again."

Matthew 11: "When John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples and said to Him, 'Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?'

"Jesus answered and said to them, 'Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.'"

H.J.Res. 106: "Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relating to marriage."

"Marriage in the United States shall consist solely of the union of a man and a woman. Neither this Constitution, nor the constitution of any State, shall be construed to require that marriage or the legal incidents thereof be conferred upon any union other than the union of a man and a woman."

Roll Call 484 of September 30, 2004: Failed with 227 Yea, 186 Nay, 20 not voting. Two thirds are required for passage.

The 435 members of the House of Representatives fell 63 votes shy of the 290 needed for passage.

Vote Analysis: by state
R's—191 Yea, 27 Nay, 9 Not voting
D's—36 Yea, 158 Nay, 11 Not voting
I's—1 Nay

'We still haven't had that nightmare scenario ...': "Four hurricanes strike Florida in six weeks, killing scores, causing widespread destruction and forcing the most massive emergency response in federal history. It's hard to imagine things being any worse. Yet that is exactly what keeps National Hurricane Center director Max Mayfield awake at night."

"The nightmare he envisions doesn't involve multiple hurricanes. Just one, a sleepy little thing born off the coast of Africa that sputters within range of Florida at nightfall, as people are turning off their TV sets and heading to bed.

"Then, during the night, it intensifies rapidly and abruptly changes course. As dawn approaches, Florida awakens to a monster hurricane, barreling toward a populace that is completely unprepared.

"'We still haven't had that nightmare scenario where people go to bed prepared for a Category 1 hurricane and wake up to a Category 4,' Mayfield says. 'That's going to happen one of these days, and it's going to be devastating.'"